The Best Summer Read's Of 2017:

I don't know whether my recent inability to read a single book apart from when I'm away on holiday which has made me appreciate a really great one all the more.

Whilst its hard to define what makes a great summer read a great summer read, holidays provide the perfect excuse to get into a good one and quickly forget a bad one. Whether it's a real-life thriller, gritty crime story, or heartbreaking novella that'll have us sobbing into our sunbed. Holidays give you a guilt-free window to read and read, soaking up plots as quickly as you soak up the sun.

So whether you're moved by memoirs or captivated by cutesy reads there's something for everyone...

The Girls, Emma Cline

An evocative and thought provoking read. I could not put this one down. Cline's debut novel came out last year but reallly picked up the heat this summer. With the focus upon a teenage girl who joins a dangerous commune in late-60s California. Inspired by the Charles Manson affair, it's so hard not to review these without giving too much away so all I'll say is go buy it now.

What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women and the Food That Tells Their Stories, Laura Shapiro

Literally feed your mind with this witty memoir. Detailing everything from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt's love of bread-and-butter sandwiches to Eva Braun's last supper this love story about fitness, dieting and body images also gives a whole new perspective on social history.

The Goddesses, Swan Huntley
For thrill-seeker's this haunting story is ALL about betrayal and forgiveness. Telling the tale of a woman who moves to Hawaii with her family only to find herself getting a little too close to her yoga teacher and then irrevocably wrapped up in a dangerous friendship.

Yes Please, Amy Poehler

I re-read this again this summer. I bloody love Amy Poehler and when I first read her memoir it spoke to me and really helped me gain a fresher perspective on things I was going through at the time. It was so great that I often quote it (and her) to pals who encounter the same things. There's a whole Pinterest board dedicated to her sassy and inspiring quotes... 100% worth picking up again.

Conversations with Friends, Sally Rooney

Sharp and intelligent this novel on friendship, lust and jealously covers the unexpected complications of adulthood. A really brilliant observation of human frailty it's hard not to identify with Frances.

Hot Milk by Deborah Levy

Levy's follow-up to her Booker-shortlisted Swimming Home is a clever tale of duty, obsession and identity. Following a mother and daughter who embark upon a journey in search of a medical cure for the Mum's paralysis in a Spanish village. With almost expectant twists and tales its a realllll page turner.